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The Yellow Wallpaper:

In the 19th century, mental illness was an uncommon issue to be discussed. The public would treat the illness only by avoiding the matter and forcing the sick to feel helpless. At that time, the medical profession had not yet distinguished between diseases of the mind and diseases of the brain. Neurologists such as Dr. Silas Mitchell treated the problems that would now be treated by psychiatrists, such as depression. The most accepted cure was Mitchell's "Rest Cure," which required complete isolation from family and friends. It forbid any type of mental or physical energy, and required total bed rest. The harsh results of the "Rest Cure" are easily seen in the story titled "The Yellow Wallpaper" written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1891. The main character was given the "Rest Cure" and soon began to descend deeper into the traps of insanity. Before fully understanding mental illnesses her actions would be linked to "hysteria". Hysteria was the term......

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Approximate Word Count: 1223
Approximate Pages: 5 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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